this summer i will be updating my running gear. came across a deal i could not p*** up. tpi 350 corvette engine, with pro rebuilt 700R4 trans including harness and computer. using this trans i know there is a plate kit that strenghens the x member. bob drake carrys a kit for around 500 bucks. seems like a lot of money for a couple of plates and bolts. anyone out there ever gone through this ? let me know, thanks.
Check out Ch***is Engineering, Inc. in Iowa. I recently bought a 36 and I'm pretty sure it has their x-member kit and I think the kit is under $200.
For a turbo 350, you can use a plate. A 700R4 you need to cut out a large portion of the x member for it to fit. You can search here, there was a thread a few months ago on the subject.
I started the 700R4 thread in Nov/Dec looking for info on kits or how much to cut or what needed cutting. I am now 3 months of spare time into it and it is a TON of work with the body on the frame. I am also doing a custom recessed firewall as well and I don't think the kits are deep enough for a recess from what I see. But you could save a whole lot of time with a kit. The only info I could get out of CE was the thumbnail picture on the catalog so I decided to tackle it myself after getting the general idea in the thread. I was planning on updating the thread after I figured out the final bracing which I am working this week - hopefully.
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